


Surprise

by motiveandthemeans



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Sherlolly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 22:29:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13153341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motiveandthemeans/pseuds/motiveandthemeans
Summary: Molly's always been good at keeping Sherlock on his toes.





	Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> One Shot! Merry Christmas!

Surprise

Sherlock Holmes believed that his deduction skills permitted him to know just about everything there is to know about a person from a single glance. He was pleased, however, to find that his associate, and later good friend (and much later _girlfriend and WIFE_ ) Molly Hooper never ceased to surprise him.

It had started with the birth of their goddaughter, Rosamund Mary, that he learned of her skill with babies.

“I honestly don’t know why you’re so surprised, Sherlock.” Molly had replied as she fed the infant with a practiced ease while sitting on the Watson’s couch. Mary and John were fixing tea and brunch while Mrs. Hudson flitted about. “I am the second of four. My father was the sixth of seven and my mum the middle of three, I’ve got 18 first cousins! I’ve been around babies my whole life.”

Sherlock blinked, clearing his throat.

“Honestly, couldn’t you deduce that?” Mary had asked as she entered the sitting room depositing a plate of ginger nuts and tea on the table. “I saw it from a mile away!”

“Yes thank you for pointing out my obvious observational deficits, Mary, I’ll be sure to defer to you in the future for any further-“

“How are your nieces and nephews doing, by the way, Molls?” John interrupted, earning a sideways glare from his best friend.

“Oh they’re wonderful! Joey’s 10th birthday is next week. Claire has her first dance recital the week after and Simon has taken to walking like a champ. It’s hard for Joe, my older brother. I know he so wishes Dad and Mum could see the kids.” She smiled sadly.

“I understand the feeling.” Mary smiled empathetically. “And your sister, Samantha?”

Molly gave an affectionate eye roll. “She’s in New York for Fashion Week, her dragon lady of a boss is running her ragged. She loves it though, supposedly she’s got herself a new beau.”

“Even though the last one ended up being a con-artist? She certainly didn’t wait long to rebound.” Mrs. Hudson giggled. “I suppose it’s all in good fun though.”

“All the same.” Molly smirked. “I’ve had Greg run a background check on him already. Seems the only thing he’s guilty of is a few parking infractions.”

“Bring him round Baker Street if he ever comes to London.” Sherlock grinned, clapping his hands with a lascivious smile. “Greg’s been known to drop the ball on occasion.”

* * *

 

The second time it happened, Sherlock was detoxing from his stunt to save John Watson.

Molly was helping him dry out, she sat with her back against the door jamb flipping through a medical journal, snacking on a protein bar while he emptied his stomach out.

“Could I trouble you for a glass of-“

Before the sentence had left his mouth, she extended a glass of cool ginger ale.

He rose a brow, but accepted the drink with a mumbled thanks nonetheless.

Sometime later, she helped him into bed, bringing extra blankets with her to help with the shivering.

“You…are v-ver-y g-g-good a-at this.” He sputtered, watching her draw up a syringe of Clonidine with expert skill. “A-anti…ci-p-pati-ng my n-needs.”

She smiled down at him sadly. “Not my first time helping an addict detox, unfortunately.”

He winced a bit at the stab of the needle as she aspirated. “I-it’s n-not?”

She shook her head, depositing the syringe into the biohazard waste box. She covered him up to his chin, and sat on the edge of his bed, placing a cool cloth over his forehead. “My younger brother, Rupert, overdosed 14 years ago. Heroine. He’d been clean for about two years, but…I think losing my Mum…it sent him over the edge. He’d been dead in his apartment for three days. Sammy, the youngest, was the one who found him. Joe and my father blamed themselves for years…I suppose I did too, on some level. I was so caught up with Med school that I…didn’t even allow myself to grieve the loss of Mum, much less burden myself with keeping an eye on Rupert.”

Sherlock realized then why Molly had been so upset with Sherlock when he relapsed after John and Mary’s wedding. She wasn’t able to get her brother to see reason, so she took her anger out on him, imploring him to desist for the love of his friends.

“I-I am s-sorry.” He said, taking her hand in his clammy one. Molly looked so tired, exhausted from the drama of recent events and being Rosie’s sole caregiver for the better part of a month. “F-f-forgi-ve m-me.”

She smiled down at him. “Of course, Sherlock. Of course.”

* * *

 

The third time Molly Hooper surprised him was not long after the events at Sherrinford. They had entered somewhat of a hesitant romance, neither of them sure of where the other stood, until one night at the CopperPenny, a pub not far from NSY, where everyone had gathered to celebrate Greg’s promotion. Sherlock hadn’t wanted to go, but John insisted it was important since Greg was his friend and undoubtedly the reason he was a Consulting Detective at all.

“I solved half his crimes, why don’t I get a bloody promotion?” Sherlock had asked indignantly.

“Because you’re self-employed in a made-up career.” John had replied with a cocky smirk. “And I know Molly will be there.”

So there he was, at a round table next to the good Doctor Watson, Philip Anderson, Mike Stamford, Sargent Sally Donovan, DI Dimmock, Captain Greg Lestrade and perfect, beautiful Molly Hooper.

They were all regaling stories of how they’d met Greg, Molly was sipping her second brew between laughs as Anderson told his tale. Sherlock was scarcely able to focus on the conversation, distracted by how fetching he thought Molly looked in her ceil blue scrubs, hair down after a long day teaching in the morgue.

When the conversation had shifted, Sherlock was not aware.

“…What about you, Doctor Hooper?” Dimmock flirted with a glimmer in his eye. “Any secret talents no one knows of?”

She laughed, offering a nervous; “I, uh, play the piano?” 

Greg laughed, clearly much drunker than the rest. “C’mon, Molls, there’s got to be something you learned at Oxford not medically related.”

Molly blushed, thinking for a second. “Okay, there is one thing. I just need…Aha!” The pathologist had the attention of the entire table as she plucked a maraschino cherry from an empty Manhattan Stamford had drank.

Plucking it in her mouth, the table waiting on pins and needles as Molly delicately moved her mouth.

40 seconds later, she produced a knotted cherry stem between her teeth.

The table was silent, Dimmock and Lestrade gaping at the woman as Sally Donovan laughed at the expressions of their male counter parts. “Oh, if you lot could s-see your faces-“

“Marry me.” Sherlock had blurted out.

John coked on his scotch, Greg snorted with laughter, Dimmock threw him a nasty glare while Donovan, Anderson, and Stamford gaped at him.

Molly smiled at Sherlock, sending him a cheeky wink. “Maybe. I’ll think on it.”

* * *

 

Yes, his Molly was a surprising woman, full of secret talents, her mind filled with nooks and crannies of information he’d never guessed she possessed. However, there is nothing that beats the fourth time she’d surprised him six months later. 

She had the day off and informed him she had a few errands to run. He’d offered to accompany her, as any good husband would, but she declined saying it wasn’t going to be long, she’d be back by lunch.

Sherlock had been busying himself at the microscope, studying attenuated gram negative bacteria, when Molly walked through the door. She was wearing a pair of formfitting purple chinos and a lovely ruffled yellow blouse, her hair in a sweet braid. She looked wonderful, glowing with a grin on her face. Her hands were hidden behind her back.

“Hello, darling.” Sherlock smiled, turning on his stool knees apart so that she could step between and plant a kiss on his lips. “I take it your errands went well?”

“Oh yes, I think you’ll be very pleased with what I’ve learned on my outing.”

“Well tell me quickly, my love, I cannot bear another minute not knowing what has brought you such happiness that I haven’t been able to bestow upon you.”

“Guess.” She challenged, a glimmer in her brown eyes. “You get three chances.”

“The game is on, aye, wife?’ He teased. “Hmmmm, you’re not in scrubs nor do you smell like formaldehyde since it is your day off from Bart’s I don’t think you’ve made a breakthrough in your research or been promoted.”

“And given that I am already the head of pathology since Mike retired and only just submitted my research for publishing a week ago, I’d say you’re right.”

Sherlock ginned. “I do so love you.”

“I know.” She replied triumphantly. “C’mon guess!”

“Alright! Alright!” He paused eyeing her up and down. “You found a book at the antique bazaar you’ve been hunting for?’

“Nope.” She popped her ‘p’. “Last chance. And make it a good one! I’ll be cross if you don’t.”

“Oh dear, a cross Molly Holmes, can’t have that now can we?” Sherlock laughed. “Samantha realized Ryan is gay?”

“Yes, but that’s not it!” She replied earnestly.

“Okay, I’ll admit defeat. Enlighten me.” He surrendered.

From behind her back, Molly produced a white envelope. Sherlock raised a brow, taking it between his long fingers and opening it with care. Molly bit her lip nervously as her husband examined the scan.

“There are…there’s two, aren’t there?” He asked somewhat breathless.

She nodded. “It’s not uncommon for women over 35 to conceive twins due to the increase in Follicle Stimulating Hormone…I know we weren’t planning on it, but we weren’t _really_ taking precautions either and I-I hope you’re…happy-”

Sherlock leapt from his stool and swung Molly around, laughing gleefully. “Of course I’m happy, you brilliant, beautiful woman! Two for one? Oh it’s wonderful! The Holmes genes are proving superior with every generation!”

Molly rolled her eyes but was smiling at his infectious giddiness. “So, it’s a pleasant surprise?”

“It’s the best surprise yet.” He kissed her passionately. “The look on Mycroft’s face…oh, it’s going to be such fun!”

 


End file.
